This Chart shows the descent from Cozens Read’s son Robert Read. This is my line of descent and I somehow wish I had discovered more old documents or papers relevant to Robert in particular!!

Descendants of Robert READ (1740 – 1799)

Generation No. 1

1. ROBERT4 READ (COZENS3, WILLIAM2, JOHN1) was born 1740 in Nether Winchendon, Buckinghamshire1, and died 1799 in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. He married MARY LEE 01 Oct 1767 in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, daughter of JAMES LEE and PATIENCE. She was born 1740 in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, and died 1828 in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire.

Notes for ROBERT READ:
Robert is the son of Cozens Read who I am descended from.

He was a Tallow Chandler of Lower Winchendon, also a Grocer. He became a Victualler and bought a house, known as the Cross Tavern, near the market square in Aylesbury in 1772. This Tavern was still extant in 1900 as there is a photo showing it, which I have a copy of.

2. ROBERT5 READ (ROBERT4, COZENS3, WILLIAM2, JOHN1) was born 1770 in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, and died 1804 in Chearsley, Buckinghamshire. He married ANN MOSS 04 Jan 1798 in Chearsley, Buckinghamshire. She was born Abt. 1780 in Chearsley, Buckinghamshire.

Notes for CATHERINE READ:
In the 1851 Census for Barton Hartshorn, Buckinghamshire Catherine is shown as an unmarried 51 year old living in Barton Hill as a Housekeeper.

More About CATHERINE READ:
Baptism: 30 Jan 1799

ii. RICHARD READ, b. Abt. 1800, Chearsley, Buckinghamshire.

More About RICHARD READ:
Baptism: 07 May 1800

iii. ELIZABETH READ, b. Abt. 1802.

More About ELIZABETH READ:
Baptism: 30 Nov 1802
3. WILLIAM5 READ (ROBERT4, COZENS3, WILLIAM2, JOHN1) was born 1771 in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, and died 1845 in Broughton, Buckinghamshire. He married MARY WHITE 12 Oct 1796 in All Saints, Hulcott, Buckinghamshire2. She was born 1777 in Hulcott, Buckinghamshire, and died 1848.

Notes for WILLIAM READ:
William was a labourer. At the time of his death he had been living with his only daughter.

In the 1841 Census, William’s occupation is given as an Agricultural Labourer (he was 71 years old at this time).

When he died in 1845, his occupation is given as an Agricultural Labourer (aged 74 years). His daughter-in-law Elizabeth Read (nee Rolfe) was in attendance at his death.

More About MARY READ:
Baptism: 26 Oct 1822
5. JOSEPH5 READ (ROBERT4, COZENS3, WILLIAM2, JOHN1) was born 1779 in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, and died 1856 in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. He married PRISCILLA HODGKINS 20 Oct 1806 in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. She was born Abt. 1779 in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire.

More About SARAH READ:
Baptism: 30 Apr 1821, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire
6. EDWARD5 READ (ROBERT4, COZENS3, WILLIAM2, JOHN1) was born 1780 in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, and died Bef. 1851. He married (1) ELIZABETH FUNGE 22 Feb 1802 in St. Mary’s Church, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. She was born 1781. He married (2) ESTHER WATKINS 16 Jun 1810 in Stone, Buckinghamshire. She was born Abt. 1784 in Hartwell, Buckinghamshire.

Notes for ESTHER WATKINS:
In the 1851 Census, widowed Esther is shown living with her unmarried daughter Martha in New Road, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire and was working as a Dressmaker. Also living with her is her granddaughter Harriett Steeres, aged 14 (born in High Wycombe).

7. ANN6 READ (WILLIAM5, ROBERT4, COZENS3, WILLIAM2, JOHN1) was born 1797 in Bierton, Buckinghamshire, and died 1873 in Bierton, Buckinghamshire. She married GEORGE FINCHER 11 Oct 1820 in Bierton, Buckinghamshire. He was born 1799, and died in Australia.

Notes for ANN READ:
For many years I thought Ann had been widowed because her husband George disappeared from all the records I checked. I hunted everywhere for his burial but it was a few more years before a “new” cousin informed me that in fact Ann’s husband had deserted as a soldier, got caught, had a trial in London, and then was transported for life to Australia! (See his details for further news on this).

Seemingly Ann never saw her husband George again and I think that the child Ann that she had
c 1823 was in fact fathered by someone else!

Notes for GEORGE FINCHER:
For many years I had thought George had died and searched everywhere for his burial. It was many more years later that I was informed by a “new” cousin that he had in fact deserted as a soldier, was caught and taken for trial in London and was transported for life to Australia! And it turns out that although transported for life, after a very lengthy prison sentence in Australia, he was given his freedom and went on to buy land there and a niece and nephew from Buckinghamshire went out to join him.

It would seem apparent that he never saw his wife Ann again although a couple of family members did venture out to Australia.

Children of ANN READ and GEORGE FINCHER are:
12. i. THOMAS7 FINCHER, b. 1821, Bierton, Buckinghamshire.
ii. ANN FINCHER.
8. THOMAS6 READ (WILLIAM5, ROBERT4, COZENS3, WILLIAM2, JOHN1) was born 1799 in Bierton, Buckinghamshire, and died 1850 in Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire. He married ELIZABETH ROLFE 21 Nov 1831 in Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire. She was born 1797 in Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire, and died 1857.

Notes for ELIZABETH ROLFE:
In the 1851 Census, Elizabeth is shown as a widow, working as a Plaiter and living in Allens Lane, Aston Clinton with four of her children (Christiana, Thomas, James and Edwin) and also with them for Census night was Susanna Read, a 33 year old Plaiter from Cheddington, Buckinghamshire.

Notes for MARTHA READ:
The 1881 Census shows Martha is aged 36, unmarried and in Stone Lunatic Asylum, Buckinghamshire. She had been employed as a Domestic Servant (Housemaid) and her handicap is described as “Lunatic”.
10. JOHN6 READ (WILLIAM5, ROBERT4, COZENS3, WILLIAM2, JOHN1) was born 1803 in Bierton, Buckinghamshire. He married MARIA KIRBY 1832 in Bierton, Buckinghamshire.

Child of JOHN READ and MARIA KIRBY is:
i. JOHN7 READ, b. 1832, Broughton, Buckinghamshire.
11. JAMES6 READ (WILLIAM5, ROBERT4, COZENS3, WILLIAM2, JOHN1) was born 1806 in Bierton, Buckinghamshire, and died 1835 in Bierton, Buckinghamshire. He married ANN ?. She was born 1797 in Mursley, Buckinghamshire, and died 16 Dec 1873 in Bierton, Buckinghamshire.

Notes for EMMA FINCHER:
I haven’t found the birth/baptism of Emma’s husband, Robert Percival in the Bierton Baptisms nor have I found their burials in Bierton. There is no record of them after their marriage in the Bierton Censuses and no record of Robert’s Percival family in the Bierton Censuses. I need to find where he was from and where he and Emma moved to! (June 1999).

Notes for JOHN READ:
John was a Straw Dealer in Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire.

I was given the date of Nov 9th 1856 as the birth of John and Ann’s first child, which is also their wedding day!! Need to check this further!

When John and Ann married he was working as a Labourer and was unable to write.

In 1878 when their son Thomas William married Alice Greening, John was working as a Straw Dealer and was still a Straw Dealer at the time of the marriage of his son Frederick to Annie Sophia Ridgway in 1888.

Notes for THOMAS WILLIAM READ:
Thomas is the first child of his parents, John and Ann and I was given some information telling me that their first child was born on 9 November 1856, which was also their wedding day! I found a baptism for Thomas in 1858 but really need to send for his birth certificate to make sure when he was actually born!!

Although he is called Thomas, he mainly went by the name of William.

The 1871 Census shows 13 year old Thomas working as a Farmer’s Boy. At the time of his marriage in 1878 he was a Straw Dealer, like his father.

In the 1881 Census he is shown as a Carman (called William) and living at 16 Baldwin Terrace, Islington, London, Middlesex with his wife Alice and daughter.

My Aunt Evelyn informed me a long time ago that Thomas William Read died at a young age, possibly of pneumonia, after being shipwrecked! I am intrigued by this and am trying to find out how and when he was shipwrecked. She had also told me that he was previously responsible for losing the family business of straw dealing, so went about doing other things instead.

Notes for GEORGE READ:
George had many different jobs, firstly as a carrier, followed by becoming an Innkeeper of the Rothschild Arms in Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire. He later moved his family to the Harrow, Middlesex are where he worked as a poulterer and later a gardener living at several different addresses. With his wife and two youngest children, they went to live in Canada for two years in the 1920s.

George is listed in Kelly’s Trade Directory in 1887, 1891, and 1895 as a Carrier.

In the 1891 Census for Aston Clinton, he is shown as an Employer working as a Carrier. George and his family and his brother John were living at Weston Road, Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire at this time.

Notes for JOHN ELLIS READ:
The 1891 Census for Aylesbury shows that John is living with his wife and a lodger at 52 Dropshort, Aylesbury. He is working as a Railway Labourer and his surname is shown as REID.

Notes for EDWIN READ:
Edwin worked as a Tailor according to the Bierton Censuses. He is shown in the 1891 Census as having two children: Ethel Goodgame and Arthur. At this stage I am surmising that Ethel Goodgame is the daughter of Edwin’s wife Charlotte and that Arthur is Edwin and Charlotte’s child, but this needs to be checked. (June 1999).

Presumably after the birth of their child Nellie May in May 1891 they moved to 15 St. John’s Road, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire where they were still living at the time of the christening of Dorothy in 1895 and Frederick in 1898. Edwin was working as a Tailor during those years.

Notes for THOMAS READ:
Thomas worked as a Compositor’s Apprentice in the Bierton Censuses.

He died at the age of 48 years and is buried in the Wesleyan Chapel, Bierton, Buckinghamshire.

Endnotes

1. Lower Winchendon Parish Register, 1740 Robert Son of Cozens Read & Elizabeth his wife Baptised November 2nd(I have a photocopy of the original entry).
2. Hulcott Parish Register, William and Mary both made a mark instead of signing the register.Their witnesses were: Joseph Fleet and S. Pigott.

My Graveyard Rabbit Blog

My Project 365 Blog

YOUR ANCESTORS

If you could see your ancestors
All standing in a row
Would you be proud of them
Or don't you really know?
Some strange discoveries are made
In climbing family trees
And some of them, you know
Do not particularly please!

If you could see your ancestors
All standing in a row
There might be some of them, perhaps
You wouldn't care to know
But here's another question, which
Requires a different view ...
If you could meet your ancestors
Would they be proud of you?(Author unknown)